Johnny Depp Says His 'Goal Is the Truth' in Suing Amber Heard: Want to 'Stand Up for My Children'

Johnny Depp is testifying in court as he sues ex-wife Amber Heard for defamation.

On Tuesday, the 58-year-old actor took the stand in Fairfax, Virginia to give his witness testimony, speaking about the "complete shock" of the domestic abuse allegations made against him by Heard, 35. He said they escalated to scenarios that "were not based in any species of truth." (Heard's legal team is expected to cross-examine Depp on Wednesday.)

"Never did I myself reach the point of striking Ms. Heard in any way, nor have I ever struck any woman in my life," he said under oath.

Depp added of Heard's abuse allegations, "Since I knew there was no truth to it whatsoever, I felt it my responsibility to stand up not only for myself in that instance but stand up for my children, who at the time were 14 and 16." Depp is dad to daughter Lily-Rose, now 22, and son Jack, now 20.

"My goal is the truth," he said, adding that he hopes to "clear the record" of the allegations made against him by his ex-wife. He explained that "it killed me" to have his reputation tarnished and have people in his life "think that I was a fraud and had lied to them."

For more on Johnny Depp's defamation trial against Amber Heard, listen below to our daily podcast PEOPLE Every Day.

"It's been six years of trying times," he continued. "It's pretty strange when one day you're Cinderella, so to speak, then 0.6 seconds you're Quasimodo. I didn't deserve that, nor did my children, nor did the people who have believed in me for all these years. I didn't want any of those people to believe that I had done them wrong or lied to them or that I was a fraud. I pride myself on honesty."

"Truth is the only thing I'm interested in," he added.

Depp is suing Heard for defamation over a 2018 op-ed she wrote for the Washington Post about surviving domestic violence, though she never mentioned Depp by name in the article. Depp originally filed the $50 million lawsuit in March 2019 and has argued that being painted as an abuser has ruined his Hollywood career.

During opening statements last week, Heard's attorney Ben Rottenborn said evidence will show she suffered domestic abuse by Depp that "took many forms," including physical, emotional, verbal and psychological, as well as "sexual violence at the hands of Depp." A spokesperson for Depp denies the allegation as "fictitious."

When discussing the headline used for the online version of Heard's op-ed, the attorney explained that she did not write that headline herself or get to approve it. It read: "Amber Heard: I spoke up against sexual violence — and faced our culture's wrath. That has to change." However, the attorney claimed Heard has indeed been the victim of sexual violence by Depp.

About the headline, "tragically, it's true," Rottenborn told the courtroom. "Amber did suffer sexual violence at the hands of Depp. ... You will hear in the most graphic and horrifying terms about the violence that she suffered. You'll hear that straight from her. She will get on the stand and she will tell you that. It happened."

Shortly after, Rottenborn listed a time when Depp allegedly had a three-day, alcohol-fueled blackout while in Australia in 2015 toward the end of their marriage, when Depp "abused and sexually assaulted Amber, all because she had the courage to confront him about his drinking."

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Heard and Depp, who met while making the 2011 movie The Rum Diary and wed in 2015, broke up in May 2016, when Heard sought a domestic violence restraining order against him, accusing him of abusing her. Depp denied the claims, and the former couple settled their divorce out of court in August 2016.

Back in November 2020, Depp lost his highly publicized U.K. libel lawsuit case against British tabloid The Sun for calling him a "wife-beater." The court upheld the outlet's claims as being "substantially true" and Heard testified to back up the claims. In March 2021, his attempt to overturn the decision was overruled.